Met Police to provide safe space for women celebrating New Year’s Eve in London

[IwantToRetire]

... Designated spaces will be provided for women and girls who feel unsafe on New Year’s Eve celebrations in London, before the mayor’s fireworks display at the London Eye, the Metropolitan police has said.

The Met announced it would work with Safer Spaces, a community interest company set up to help educate and create a culture that confronts and prevents sexual violence, harassment and domestic abuse at festivals and events.

Women and girls can go to the designated space, which will be located along Duncannon Street, near Trafalgar Square, if they feel unsafe, are in need of advice or wish to speak to someone. ...

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/dec/30/met-to-provide-safe-space-for-women-celebrating-new-years-eve-in-london

Its a shame it has been framed as Met Police service. How will that make women feel safe?

Would have been much better if announced that Safer Spaces would be running a similar service to the one they provide at music festivals.

What a sad statement about the UK in 2022/3 because it says women aren't safe to go out and take part in public events.

What about a curfew for men instead.

It's conflicting, because I think having a safe haven for women and girls is necessary, but I am incredibly angry that this is as a result of women and girls not being safe! And of the authorities responsible essentially accepting that they aren't safe and cannot be made safe.

Plus, yes, seeing the Met police being involved in this space doesn't exactly have a reassuring action. How will the Met ensure that this isn't a magnet for police officers who want to take advantage of vulnerable women??

And will they allow anyone to self id into the space?

It's a gendered space. So there could still easily be males using that space.

Still better than nothing I guess.

I wonder if it'll be a magnet for that sweet, sweet, New Year validation?

Actual women & girls?? Ah no of course not silly me, they’re “gender inclusive” so no one will be turned away

Safer spaces

I just wish these sorts of organisations would be honest and upfront and be clear that their spaces are mixed sex. Rather than talk about being about women and girls, when instead they are about mixed sex spaces.

100% this.

If it's supposed to be a safe space for women surely the met should be nowhere near it.

The Met????

Safe????

Pull the other one, it plays "jingle bells".

A picture of men with their legs spread and flowers in their teeth as an advert of how "safe" they are..with text explaining how anyone is actually allowed in...

A safe space with the MET, lol.

It all becomes clearer when you check out their volunteer paperwork… There’s quite a range to select from for “Gender Identity”, no question regarding Sex, and a question requesting a label for “Sexuality” -

^FFS. This is the Police? Happy bloody new year

Gaslighting fuckers.

The information is for people wishing to volunteer with “Safer Spaces” organisation, which appears to be working with the police.

Sorry, this is a massive fail for me. If anyone can identify into that space, we have a group of people who feel vulnerable and a group of predatory men. All the people (general public) who might generally ‘police’ others’ bad behaviour will be respectful and self-exclude. It might feel safe to start with, but as legislation and practice works to embolden sex offenders (current and potential) I predict that such safe spaces will become anything but…

Quite.

It smacks of foxes building a hen house.

Quite. 'A magnet for predators' would be a better term.

A safe space for women is only safe if excludes every single member of the predator class.

Agree about the Met and their failure to protect women. Partly because of their numbers being reduced under the London Mayor who is the greatest misogynist possibly for a generation or even ever to have held public office, Boris Johnson.

Will be interesting to hear from anyone who took up the offer though and how they felt about it.

Just out of interest is anyone a festival goer, and have you ever seen this organisation providing "safe spaces"?

This was there initial reason for being set up and I think, worked with Rape Crisis.

Would have been appropriate for the police or in fact the Mayor to have asked for feedback from any one whose have sought out their help. And did women feel safe in a all gender space?

And of course any woman who is assaulted elsewhere was basically asking for it - if they really didn't want to be assaulted they would have gone to the Safe Space, wouldn't they?

Does that mean if a woman doesn't go to those spaces, she's asking for it and shouldn't complain if she gets assaulted?